


Twelve Years Prior

by Lady_of_Mischief



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Severus Snape Has a Heart, Underage Sex, professor/student
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-05 02:09:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13377885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_Mischief/pseuds/Lady_of_Mischief
Summary: A thirteen year old female has a hat stall, she's the smartest in her class and house. She learns faster than anyone can teach, and she understands things others can't. She's destined for two sides of the coin, and she can choose. And she's committed a crime; she's fallen in love.





	1. Chapter 1

I was thirteen when I attended my first year of Hogwarts.  
Can you believe my letter came late, that I had a whole other year in the muggle world before i attended Hogwarts.  
I had a life, friends and extracurricular activities too, like golf and euphonium lessons.  
Then one day in the middle of December I was invited to Hogwarts, the school of witchcraft and wizardry, and I was to attend the school next year, starting the first of September.  
Of course I accepted. No one in their right mind wouldn't.  
And so, the first of September came and I stepped aboard the Hogwarts express with an owl, a wand, cold weather gear, and a briefcase.  
It was the last train cart and I finally sat down, I had managed to find the last empty cart and get some well deserved alone time. I never was big on on socializing, and I wasn't about to welcome it into my life. In fact, I'd left my friends behind. Good friends, ones that had grown up and been through everything with. And, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I decided to abandon it, and go to some magical boarding school.  
As long as I could succeed here, successfully pass my class, I would have no reason to go back. I'd stay, as long as I was successful.  
The door to my cart slid open and a brunette boy with brown eyes comes and sits across in front of me.  
"I hope you don't mind," he says with a grin stretching to his eyes, and I mentally groan. "All the others we're full."  
"I suppose even if I *did* mind, there would be no point in asking you to move, seeing as how every train cart is already filled." My voice was void of any and all emotion, except maybe perhaps slight annoyance.  
"Fantastic." He holds out his hand for me to take, and I do so hesitantly. "My names is David Smith, third year, Gryffindor. And you are?"  
"Rhay. First year." He looks confused as he stares back at me, but it's quickly wiped away.  
"Just Rhay?" I nod slowly, and he gives a small smile. "Nice to meet you just Rhay. I would say I hope you'd join us at Gryffindor, but seeing your hair as white as it is, I'll bet you'll be placed in Slytherin."  
"Slytherin?" I ask, not knowing what he meant.  
"It's one of the four houses at Hogwarts, and you'll get chance to be sorted into one of them. It's a ceremony followed by a fantastic feast." I glare at him through my half closed eyes.  
"Good to know."  
"So, who are your parents? They must be really powerful wizards." I roll my eyes and give a somewhat audible moan.  
"You don't shut up do you?" He grins once again.  
"Spoken like a true Slytherin."  
"Just answer my question." I state.  
"Tell me your parentage first."  
"Both of my parents are muggles as you refer to them." It was then he decides to keep his mouth shut, and his eyes bug out of their sockets, and all I can do is give a small, sly smile. "There, now youve shut up. And if you'll excuse me, I would like to get some sleep before we get to wherever the bloody hell it is where the school is located." I prop my fear up on the bench and stretch out, and pull a sweater from my briefcase to use as a pillow, and I shut my eyes, my smirk still on my face.  
The next thing I know, David is waking me and then dragging me out of the train with my briefcase in hand.  
The next few minutes are a blur, a man named Hagrid meets us and then we're boarding boats to get to the school, and then were in a grand hallway and suddenly the familiar fave that traveled with me is gone and joining his brother and sisters at a long table where he is greeted with smiles and hugs.  
*Friends.* My heart aches at that word, forcing me to remember the friends I've left behind in the muggle world.  
We're told to follow two sixth years, one a male with black hair and a red cape that trails behind him, the other is an auburn female, with a yellow cape.  
They've lead us up to a horizontal table where the man Hagrid, and five others are seated.  
The man seated in the middle was old, clearly the headmaster. Long white hair and an accompanying white beard. And holding his wand to his mouth, the room goes silent and introduces the head teachers for the houses, and seeing as nothing this man says os interesting to me, I tune out and take in my surroundings.  
The dining hall was extraordinary, everything was made of a beautiful warm marble, and the ceiling looked just like the sky outside and had floating candles to give us light.  
My awe and admiration is cut short, as soon as they start calling names and someone steps forward.  
“Yes, I see.” A hat is placed upon the boys head and begins to talk, “Hufflepuff!” And a table to my right cheers.  
“Rhayella Skotadi.” It’s my turn, I’m supposed to be walking up there, but I can’t seem to move, so, I take a deep breath and force myself to take a step. And I’m standing next an elderly woman dressed in emarld green robes and is setting the hat upon my head.  
“Hmm, this is difficult. Yes, indeed. Maybe even the most difficult I’ve had to place in a while.” I can feel him moving. “I could place you into three houses, and you could thrive in any one of them. The mind of a Ravenclaw, the bravery of Gryffindor and the cunningness of Slytherin.” He was quiet for several minutes now and I was somewhat terrified of what this could mean.  
“It’s been nearly seven minutes.” I hear one kid say.  
“Tell me,” The hat speaks once again.”Where would you like to be placed?”  
“Not Gryffindor.” I say faster than my brain processes.  
“Yes, I see you’ve had a rather unenjoyable experience with a Gryffindor recently.” Another silence. “Your mind is always running, always thinking, and yet you’re very ambitious, always trying to exceed expectations.”  
“Remove the hat.” I hear the headmaster say, and the woman looks to him, a question in her eyes. “If it cannot decide for her now, it will decide after dinner. Until then, may the next student apporach.”  
“It was a tweleve minute house stall.” I hear one kid say,  
“I have heard of six, but not twelve. This must be a first.” The kid next to him whispers, and it’s at that very moment I realize that all eyes are on me as I make my way to a table full of people dressed in the typical grey uniforms, and a royal blue emblem and tie showed their house colour.  
“Nice to meet you Rhayella, we’re-” Long braided brown hair and brown eyes greet me.  
“It’s just Rhay.” I snap.  
“I apologize, this is the Ravenclaw table, over their is Slytherin.” She doesn’t miss a beat.  
“We hope you choose us.” Someone says, and I just nod, and focus on my food, not realizing how hungry I was.  
“Gryffindor!” Yells of glee, and then another name and another house, until finally everyone has been sorted and has feasted upon this luxurious food, and it’s time to be shown to the house common rooms and dorms.  
Everyone leaves, except me. I was not placed in a house, and was told to wait until after dinner for further instruction,  
The kids have filled out, leaving the headmaster, hagrid, and the head teachers, and as I look towards the table at the front of the room, I see the headmaster making his way towards me, and I abruptly stand up.  
“Ms. Skotadi.” He greets me with a smile and a slight nod of the head, I do the same. “I know how troubling it must feel to not be placed in a house-”  
“Actually, sir, my parents are muggle, and I’m afraid I do not understand what is so troubling about being placed in a house.”  
“I see.” He replies with a slight nod. “I will see to it that your professor will take the time to explain everything to you once you are settled in. For now, let’s just get you sorted into a house.” I nod in complete agreement, for at this very moment all I wanted to do was sleep. “Minerva, if you will.” He beacons for her to put the hat on my head once more.  
“Oh yes, the mind to still be sorted, I must say you have one extraordinary mind. The possibility for a great light, or great darkness. Tell me, young one, with hair so white, how were you muggle born?”  
“I was adopted.”  
“Mmm, I see. Tell me, how was your time with the Ravenclaws?” Once again my mouth is faster than my brain.  
“They’re know it alls, I wouldn’t want to be around a group of people who pride themselves on knowing everything all the time. No one likes those kind of people, I know I can’t stand them. I can’t even believe that they’re actually a group, that must get annoying after awhile.” The room is silent, and then the hat chuckles, and I can feel everyone breath a sigh of relief.  
“It seems that perhaps Slytherin would suit you well. I deem you… Slytherin.” There was no clapping of hands, no excitement. Just a small congratulations and a pat on the back from the headmaster.  
“Professor Snape.” Headmaster begins, and the lady called Minerva removes the hat and puts it away. “Be sure to show Ms. Skotadi to her common room and have an older year teach her everything she missed.”  
“Yes.” His voice is punctuated and deep, void of emotion. He was cool, and distant. “Headmaster.” He starts to walk down the steps and calls for me to follow after him. “Come along Skotadi, unless you want to get lost.” I hurry after him, his cloak billowing behind him, and a little first year who couldn’t be placed into a house, was a few feet behind him, struggling to catch up to him.


	2. Chapter Two

A fifth year prefect was assigned to me, she was beautiful, blood red lipstick, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. She was the image of perfection, in fact this whole house was.   
Everyone wore their uniforms pressed clean and tidy, a sign of perfection.   
The males had their ties tied all the same way, their slicked back and jelled, or combed properly. They were like something out of a book.  
And the females were just the same. Perfect lipstick, winged eyeliner that was so pointed and perfect that it could kill. Their hair was in a neat bun, or some stylish updo, and hardly any of them wore it down.   
They house had a different atmosphere when they came to the common room. They were warm, not cold, and they laughed and talked and acted like family. Something that wasn’t shown past these doors.   
I could hear the starts of an argument over what game they were to play, and monopoly was passed around, and then there was hissing and crying and all sorts of clamour, and it had me to wonder what had happened with a simple game.  
“Rhay.” The prefect called Aurora once again grabs my attention. “Let’s get you settled in and then you can join us for games, okay?” I nod and she leads me up the stairs and to the girls dorm room, and I can see the empty bed against a rock wall, the foot of it facing the magic glass that gave a view to the lake, indicating that we were somewhere close to the dungeons, or even right next to them.  
The odd thing about the rooms was that I half expected it to be cold, but the room was actually comfortable.  
“Your bunk is there on the end, and your schedule will be given to you tomorrow during breakfast, so for now, just unpack and get settled in and you’re more than welcome to come join us for games.” I nod my head, and open my trunk and put away clothes and other necessities and slide my trunk underneath the bed as far it would go before hitting the storage drawers underneath.  
This room was to be mine for the next seven years, and I'd be twenty when I left, probably one of the oldest ones to ever graduate from here, from Hogwarts.  
I should have been a second or third year, but even if I had asked to skip years, I haven't grown up anywhere near magic and would be left in the dust, so I was stuck as thirteen year old first year.  
Honestly, though, the dorm was amazing, filled with what seemed to be expensive furnishings and other objects. It was like something out of home goods magazine, and it was beautiful.  
"Hey new kid, come on down and watch how we play our games!" A kid called up to me, and I walked down the stairs and saw them gathered over a game of cards against humanity. Someone offers me a pillow on the floor and I gladly take it.  
"Alright, for everyone old enough to play, if you don't get chosen, you take a shot of Firewhisky, only people who don't have to, are the judge and the winner of the round." I hear a few whispers and then from the same brunette kid a "Let's begin."  
Needless to say, thirty minutes into the game everyone was drunk and most were passed out.  
The rest of us had gone to bed and I was the only sober person up, and I was wide awake and tuned into the last few people playing the game. Two sixth years and one seventh year. And out of the three of them, the sixth year female was holding her liquor down better than the two males seated across from her.  
Her lipstick was stained and her eye makeup was almost non-existent, but the wing of her eyeliner still remained. Waterproof is all I could think.  
"Tell me, Rhay." She says through slurred words. "Your parents, how powerful they are."  
"Muggles actually."  
"Learn your shit, kid." And then she passes out and shortly the other two had followed suit. I was the only one up and out of bed, and something by the window had called me over to it and I stood by it.  
It was the reflective eyes that I noticed first, and then it was the snake like tongue.  
A ten foot sea serpent appeared in front of me, and I could hear it speaking in my head.  
"Hello, puuure blood." It hisses in my head, and at first it seems weird, but then I remind myself I'm a witch and this is perfectly normal.  
"So, you talk then?" Yes, bravo, your first encounter with a talking creature and you state that it talks. Bravo, you idiot.  
"It isss obvioussss." I nod my head in agreement. "Although not many of your kind understand usssssss."  
"I don't think I follow." I can see the snakes beautiful body swimming in the ocean, struggling to keep him here. Maybe there was some way I could accommodate him, walk around the room with him, but the common area didn't seem to be big enough for me to pace, so, for now I settled on standing still.  
"Only thossse who can ssspeak parsseltounge can communicate with the likesss of me, I've only met one other in my life, and that wass nearly fifty yearssss ago."  
"How old are you then?" I cross my hands behind my back and seperate my legs into a more grounded stance.  
"Age hass no meaning to uss, unlike you humansss."   
"Right. That would make sense I guess, you aren't defined by what you can and can't just because of how old you are."  
"Then prooove them wrong." And I see it,get startled and swim away from the window back out into the inky depths of the freezing cold water.  
"Come on first year, time for bed. Trust me when I say that you don't want to be sleeping in your classes tomorrow." I turn to see Aurora standing at the stairs waiting for me to go over and get ready before going to bed.  
I walk over there with a small yes ma'am and nod of the head, but before she follows me I can feel her gaze drift towards the window trying to figure what what I was talking to. She didn't find anything, because as I pulled my covers up to my shoulders I heard her footsteps leave the common room shortly after.  
Morning came and along with it came another grand feast of food, and schedules were passed out. I had Transfiguration, Astronomy, and History of Magic were my first classes, proceeding with lunch, and then Herbology, Potions, and finally Defence Against the Dark Arts, or DADA.   
Finally dinner, which was then followed with personal time in the commons for studying and socializing.  
In all honesty, this seemed a rather long and tedious day, one that I wasn't looking forward to, except maybe DADA, the last class of the day. Maybe somehow, if the class was in any way interesting, I could survive the day by looking forward to this one class.  
And so rang the first bell, breakfast was over and classes were to begin shortly, and I was being pushed to somewhere, as to where, I wasn't sure, but I hoped it was in the direction of the Transfiguration class.

The fortnight passed in a blur, and soon quidditch trials were upon us, and I had already been sought out by the Captains for our quidditch trials, they wanted me as Seeker. They said I had exceptional skills, and was quite fast on a broom for a first year, to which I replied that I was older and more mature than first years, and all they did was grin and nod in response.  
Needless to say, I became seeker, and I was expected to practice with the team everyday after school for an hour or two.   
Yet, somehow, i managed to keep both my studies and extracurricular activities up.  
I didn't have a hard time with studies, in fact I exceed everything set before me, and I had gotten to the point I was bored of school and it was nothing more than a few minutes of homework and a quick read. This school, and no school yet was fast enough to challenge me, and because of that I would let my studies slip, often finding other ways to better interest and challenge me.  
And I even had my parents sending me juggle studies just to keep me from doing something stupid, but even those bored me.  
So, often times late at night I would find myself in the library, so deep within a book I'd forget what time it was and would have to sneak back to the dorms.  
But tonight, tonight was different, tonight I had been caught by Flich, and tonight was when I would once again meet the Head f Slytherin…  
Professor Snape.


	3. Chapter Three

"Well, well, well. A slytherin out past curfew… My, aren't we in for a treat." Flich says, and I jump, throwing the book across the floor, and I look up to meet his eyes and he's grinning like he's just gotten the last piece of cake at a family party. It was an evil grin.  
He yanks me from my spot and before I know it we're standing in front of Snape's study and he's already knocked.  
Dread filled me, making my entire body feel like it weighed a million tons, but when the door opened, it was gone. Instead it was replaced with hate, a passionate hate.   
"You'd better have good reason to-" His glare is cold and murderous, but all it does is fill me with more hate, and more anger, and suddenly I'm boiling.  
"Leave, us." He's cool and collected but as soon as he drags me into his study he loses his demeanour and he is filled with rage. "You have a hat stall and suddenly you think you don't have to follow the rules!" Its somewhere between a yell and loud voice, not quite being either of those. "Most wait a month, but you do it within the first two weeks." He hisses, and I flinch.  
"Professor, I-" He glares daggers at me, trying to silence me but it doesn't work, at least not fully.  
"I should have you expelled for this."  
"For What? Learning past bedtime? I'm not the only one! Others are further up into the night studying, just trying to pass their classes, while I am terribly bored! You're just lucky I haven't ventured into the restricted section!" I yell back at him.  
"Detention everyday until Christmas break."  
"But Professor-"  
"Do not, push me, Skotàdi. It wouldn't do you well." I had boiled over. No one,simply called me by my last name without putting the proper title in front of it, and no one, and I mean it, No one, called me by my full first name.  
"And it would serve you well *Professor*, to address me with the proper title of miss!" I yell and storm out, leaving a slightly shocked Snape in hs studies, and I am practically running through the halls to get back to the Slytherin dorms, praying that I hadn't just ruined my chances at becoming a witch and staying in this school, despite how boring it was.  
I was almost to the Slytherin Common Room, when I ran into the headmaster.  
"Ms. Skotàdi, what a pleasant surprise." He greets me kindly and the anger does subside, but my stubborness doesn't.  
"I'm glad it was you rather than anyone else." I mumble.  
"Indeed." I stare up at him in shock, surprised he could hear that. "In fact, I'm rather glad I found you, I needed to speak with you on a few matters." I nod in agreement and he begins to walk, so I stand beside him and walk with him.  
"Am I in more trouble, Headmaster?" He chuckles.  
"No, my dear, I believe Snape will have punished you enough for the rule you broke."  
"How did you-"  
"It matters not, how I know." His voice is soft, causing me to really listen to the old Headmaster.  
"Then, Headmaster, what do you wish to talk to me about?"  
"Your stay here are the school, has it been to you liking?" I nod my head. "Good. And your classes?"  
"They're easy, none of them hold my interest, and I'm simply bored." He chuckles and nods his head.  
"Surely one of them interests you…" Don't say it. Don't even think about saying it.   
It turned out, I loved potions, in fact, it was my favourite class. The issue was that it was taught by the Professor I most hated in the school. Snape.  
"Potions." No it wasn't, take,it back and say DADA, or Herbology, say anything to take it back. "I really love potions."  
"Ah, yes. It is a good class. And what,do you think of the professor who teaches,it?" Think carefully on this answer Rhay, you're telling the Headmaster about one of his own.  
"They say he's heartless, but they're wrong. He has a heart, but it's a heart of evil." I spit and he simply nods.  
"Remember, Ms. Skotàdi, that the opposite of love, is indifference, not hate. In fact I have often found hate to be one in the same as love, just misplaced and misguided love, perhaps?" He looks to me, hoping for me to give an answer.  
"I do not love Professor Snape, Headmaster."  
"No, of course not. But perhaps you're feelings towards him will change with time. You yourself said, that he had a heart." I stumble over my feet and quickly fix myself.  
"You took my words out of,context, Headmaster."  
"Ah, but you still said them." He stops, and I can tell we're nearing our end of the conversation. "Perhaps, he shows his feelings in different ways, maybe you should try to see through his eyes."  
"I don't,think that will change him."  
"No, but it mau teach you to see through others eyes before you judge." He gives me a stern,look, and I give him a curt nod. "Then,I bid you goodnight, my dear." He walks away and I head once again to the,Common Room.  
My head touches the pillow but no sleep comes to me, and I am left to mull over the events of tonight.  
What Headmaster had said was cryptic indeed, but it was spoken true.  
Professor Snape had a heart, he just didn't show it.  
So, I had detention everyday, and maybe Headmaster was right, maybe I would see through his eyes, but I Wasn't going to let him off easy.  
No, I would be the most annoying first year, and he would crack before I did. I would make him show his heart before I showed mercy.

When breakfast came, word had gotten around the school of what I had done, of how I had snapped at Professor Snape.   
"I can't believe you snapped at him." I hear Aurora say to me.  
"What do you mean?" I shove a spoonful of oats into my mouth.  
"No one has had the balls to stand up to him, and those who would try, were transferred or expelled."'  
"Yeah, man. You're lucky to still be studying here." A third year called John takes a seat next to me and he's already loading his plate. He was the standard Slytherin, slicked back hair, pressed clothes. Once again the image of perfection.  
Aurora had helped me get ready, taught me a spell to iron my clothes and the way she applies makeup with magic.   
In fact the Slytherin house was just doing everything with magic. Getting the chores done with magic, like cleaning and laundry.  
So, needless to say, my face had makeup on it, granted it was just the winged eyeliner and bright red lipstick, it was part of the Slytherin look.  
The thing that was different between us, was my hair was down, not up and itt reached my waist in long white curls, making my hair look like white smoke.  
I heard a flapping of wings and a brown package landed right in front of me, missing my breakfast.  
I opened it and inside revealed a box of red hair dye, the thing I asked my parents for. And it was bright cherry red, the perfect colour for being different.  
"Hair dye?" Aurora asks, I nod, a small smile forming on my face. Classes didn't start for another two hours, seeing as how I was one if the first down to breakfast.  
It was also Professor McGonagall, who was one of the more relaxed Professor's, and it was close to the dorms.  
So, two hours later I emerged with the brightest red hair I had ever seen, and oh weren't people in for a surprise.  
The minute I stepped through that door for class, there were whisper and looks, nothing I wasn't used to. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.  
"Wow." The ravenclaw who sat next time breathed. "Your hair is brilliant." I grin, finally something good.  
"Thanks, think it fits me?"  
"Without a doubt." She grins. "Hey can you help me, I'm better with music and arts, not studies?"  
"Absolutely, I have detention, but after dinner I'd be more than willing to help."  
"Really?" She lights up, and brushes a piece of brown hair behind her ear. "Thank you so much!"  
"Now class-" Professor says as she comes out of her studies and her eyes meet mine and then she continues with her speech, and tells us to begin to work on pages and write a report, and I spend most of my time helping the ravenclaw next to me.  
Finally the bell rings and I begin walking to the door  
"Ms. Skotàdi?"  
"Yes, Professor?" I turn around to face her.  
"Your hair was fine the way it was, why change it?"  
"I didn't need my parents called dirty because I'm an alleged pure blood."  
"Be careful around here, you may find the past haunting you." I nod and finally leave.  
Her words haunted me all through the day, right up until the last thirty minutes of DADA, where I was planning my methods of how to annoy, provoke, and ultimately get Professor Snape to show his heart.  
The bell finally rings, and I'm almost running to Professor Snape's studies, a plan already forming in my head.   
I barge through the door and he looks up.  
That's when I see it, the pain and the passion and love in his eyes.  
And suddenly it's like I'm seeing him for thr first time, because I recognize those eyes. I've seen it in my foster parents eyes whenever they tried to get pregnant, but only ended up adopting me.  
Love that's been placed in someone and only have that person be taken away.  
After awhile, you start to see the same eyes in everyone.  
He's quiet, and he's eyeing me, taking me in, and,then his cold and distant demeanour is back.  
"Go to quidditch practice." He snaps, and busies himself with whatever he was doing before I interrupted him.  
"Profe-" I begin, somewhat concerned for what I saw in his eyes.  
"Now." He bellows, and I scram. I hadn't been afraid of him until now. I had no reason to be. Until now.  
It was the emotions behind his eyes that had done it. That's what scared me. No one feels that way unless they've lost someone, and maybe at one point he had a daughter, maybe that was the reason he reacted the way he did. It would only make sense.  
"Oof." I run right smack into into someone and our books go flying, and at the same time we bend down to pick them we knock heads too.  
"I'm so sorry, I apologize-" My words quicker than my brain.  
"No, not a problem, I should have been looking." I chuckle at the comment, and after we've collected our things we stand up.  
I've never seen a more charming pair of brown eyes, it was like swimming in pools of dark chocolate mixed with a light autumn brown, and all i wanted to do was drown.  
His hair was brown with lightest tint of copper, that was slicked back and combed neatly so that the ends feathered out at his neck.  
His skin was tan, tanner than any of us here, and his body was built and covered in muscles. He was perfect, like a greek god.  
"Say, aren't you the twelve minute hat stall?" I chuckle laughing at my reputation.  
"I see my reputation precede me." His smile is handsome and all I can do is stare in awe.  
"Only the good part."  
"I see many consider my outburst to Professor Snape as a bad, or negative thing…"   
"Many do, yes." He nods in agreement.  
"Perhaps then, it was needed. If the entire school is in fear of him, they should know now that they can stand up to him as I have done. He does not need to be the tyrant of this school." There this look of awe and wonder on his face and I'm suddenly uncomfortable.  
"You're the first to stand-up to him and not get expelled, perhaps there is something different about you, that even he sees. The hat certainly saw it." I roll my eyes.  
"Yes, an inanimate object that just happens to know where I would be suited best. Maybe I should have gone in Hufflepuff where I wouldn't be noticed." I mumble to myself and begin to walk, and he matches my stride beside me.  
"My name's Chris, I'm a fourth year Ravenclaw."  
"Nice to meet you, the name is Rhay." He Starts Talking introducing himself, but all I can think about is how my fingers haven't touched the cool ivory and ebony keys of a piano in almost a month.   
Of all the times to miss it now, it had to be mid conversation, but it made sense.   
I played all the time, when i was happy, angry, sad, or,even confused. I would play. Just to bring my mind and thoughts elsewhere, away from the problems so to speak.  
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but do you know where there is a piano? I'm dying to play one?"  
"Yeah, the fifth floor. It's in the music room, but-" I'm sprinting before he can finish that sentence, and the next thing i know, I'm pressing the keys, creating the music from my head.  
And I'm so lost within the instrument, that I'm found. I'm home.  
"Such a beautiful piece, where did you learn to play?" I jump up from the piano and the chair screeches back behind me.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just, it was there and-" It's headmaster and I realize my words are short lived.   
"Not a problem. Aren't you going to be late for detention with Professor Snape?"  
"No, Headmaster. He just told me to go to quidditch, so I started to, but I ended up-" I motion to the instrument  
"Quite alright. I'm on my way to speak with him myself, I could accompany you back to the Slytherin commons." I nod my head.  
"I must refuse, your offer. I save my walks to simply think, and I think I should rather enjoy this one." He nods.  
"Good luck with practice today, Ms. Skotàdi." As soon as he leaves, so do I.  
I get through quidditch just fine, but my mind is not there and the others can tell.  
My mind isn't there for dinner or for the Ravenclaw who needed help. .   
Instead it's in Professor Snape, and that look he gave me earlier. It's still clear as day in my mind and I can't seem to rid of it.  
Finally, as my eyes begin to close I realize that the only way to get him out of my mind is to simply get him to talk.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A drunk Snape, and exhausted Rhay. They are bound to be out of character for this.

"Hey, Rhay?" A first year Gryffindor comes up to me, sporting a goofy smile that takes up the majority of his face, but it does not mask the dark circles from lack of sleep.  
"Yeah?" He seems strained and exhausted so I do my best to be kind, knowing that he needed someone to be just that. Kind.  
"I could really use your help in Potions, I'm almost failing." He tries to make it a statement, but it's more of a plead.  
"Wouldn't you rather a Ravenclaw help, surely they can tutor better than I can. I'm only a first year."  
"They're all too busy with their own studies, and I presumed since we're the same year you would know it better than anyone else. You're the smartest in the school." I nod my head and write down a place and time and hand it to him.  
"Be punctual." He takes it gingerly and I walk off, heading for the green house for Herbology.  
Today I had applied a full face of makeup and put my hair up in an Audrey Hepburn style to keep it out off my face and off my neck.   
The attention of my dyed hair had worn off by the second day, and it was then I pulled my hair up. I had considered re-dying it to a shade of black, seeing as how I wasn't as big a fan of the red as I thought I was.  
I would give it a week, I told myself, which was just five more days, and then I would change it. Maybe, instead of using dye, I could ask Professor McGonagall for a spell. Surely, transforming certain aspects of a person could be counted as transfiguration.  
I would visit her later, after classes were over.  
Herbology passed in slow motion, making every minute we spent in there a little slice of hell, until finally the bell rings.  
The next thing I know is that i'm seated on my potions class, waiting for Professor Snape, and that's when he,comes gliding in with his cloak so elegantly gliding behind him.  
He was always one for an entrance.  
"By the end of class I expect all of you in groups and to be deciding on what you're going to do your project on." He reaches his desk where he takes out a book. "Except for you," He looks straight at me, and slowly and very precisely moves towards the desk i was sitting at and stops a few feet,short. "I expect one, eight page report on my desk Tuesday morning, before breakfast." I scoff at him in my head. "No exceptions, Skotàdi." He thinks that I will save face, that I care more about my reputation than anything else, and that I won't make a scene. Not in front of all these people. Dear God, how wrong he was!  
"I've already told you it's Miss, Professor." I stand up and hiss at him.  
"Fine, make it two by Monday." I,scoff.  
"No," I reply full of anger and hate and a fire inside that can't be killed. "Make it three by Sunday morning."  
"You think you can write three, eight paged, good quality essays in two days." I shake my head no, and place my hands on the desk to lean on it, my short stature,just barely reaching over the top.  
"Not good, but, great, quality."  
"Then I look forward, to your failure." And he walks over to the chalkboard. "Skotàdi." His back is to me, but his voice is clear as day in my ear, and I know he's used magic.  
"You bloody arse." I mumble,under my breath, and I see him whip around and look at me, an anger in his eyes, and then they soften, like he's seeing someone else instead of me. That someone he lost.  
Then he turns back, and I focus on my parchment and quill and ink.   
Out of the corner of my eye I see the Gryffindor from earlier gaping at me, his mouth wide open and not showing a decency of respect to close it.

Finally classes ended and I was seated once again in potions class, working on my essay, trying to prove I was far better than he thought.  
*Who did he lose* My mind whispers to me, trying to make me lose my focus.  
*No.* I hiss back. *It's not important*  
*But, you'll never know why he looks at you the way he does.*  
*So?!? It's not going to make a difference, he's a teacher for hell's sake. He was bound to see someone similar to whomever he lost.*  
*Just ask, what's he gonna do, expell you?*  
*He could!*  
*For asking a question? You and I both know Headmaster wouldn't stand for it*  
*No, I won't do it.*  
*You need to.*  
*No.*  
*Yes.*  
"Professor?" I blurt out, and he doesn't even look up, just continues to do his work.  
"What?" I shakly put down my quill and look up to him., hoping that he would maybe look up and that those rare warm eyes would meet mine.  
"I see it every once in a while when you look towards me, and I understand if you-"  
"Spit it out, Skotàdi." He hisses  
"Who did you loose?" I cringe as I ask, expecting him to yell, or even tell me to get out, but he doesn't. He looks up and if looks could kill, I'd be dead ten times over.   
I quickly avert my eyes back to my desk, and manage to see him just over the edge of my desk.  
"Don't you have essays to be working on?" I pick up my quill and dip it in ink, getting back to my essay.  
"Yeah, and I'm on page six." I breathe under my breath.  
The rest of detention continued as normal, in complete and utter silence, except for the scratching if the quill on parchment.

And that is how the first few months passed; classes, detention with the occasional quidditch practice, dinner, the study group that came around happened in the library after we ate, and then it was time for bed.   
With the months came Halloween, and then my birthday, and finally break.  
We had won several of the quidditch tournaments, and we've been passing all of the other houses with points, meaning that we could very well win the house cup this year.  
I had decided that I would stay at the school this year for the break, allowing me to do some studying, and learn more about this world I was supposedly born into, and maybe I could do some research as to who my real parents were. Maybe that could explain who I was and why I was So quick to learn things  
Needless to say it was one day before Christmas, and I only had about a week left before the break would be over, and so far, I hadn't even the slightest clue as to who my real parents may have been.  
I had even sent letters to my adoptive parents requesting everything they knew about me, but even that was slim.  
Turns out, i had no birth certificate, i just showed up on the front porch of a foster house.  
In fact, i showed up with nothing, just a blanket and basket  
Within three weeks I had been adopted by my family, but they didn't even have a real birthday for me, just one they had assumed was as close as possible as they could get.  
I was a nobody, I came from nowhere. I had no origin.  
Even the library confirmed it.  
Tomorrow was Christmas and I was stuck in library treadin names upon names, and realizing that not only would I get absolutely nowhere, but that I was beginning to fall asleep.  
The dark clutches of slumber enchanting me, beckoning me, to come and bask in itself.   
And my eyes were obeying and my mind could no longer process words.  
"Ever the student, Ms. Skotàdi?" The voice sounded familiar, a cool, calm and composed voice, I should have known it, in fact, my brain was screaming that i knew the person, but my eyes wouldn't open so i could look at him.  
"Mmm…"  
"No witty come back. Too tired perhaps?" All i can manage at the moment is a slight nod, as my head finally falls into the book I was reading. "You are so much like her. So, bright and brilliant, and a complete outcast from the rest."  
"Hmm?" In losing touch in reality.  
"And you joined Slytherin, only making you more of an outcast."  
"Slygherthy?" I mumble out in a comfortable sigh.  
"As soon my I laid my eyes upon you, all i could see were her, are your, eyes staring back at me."  
"Love." I mumble contently. He chuckles and it's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard in the world.  
"I suppose, yes. Come Skotàdi, let's get you to your dorms. I will not be leaving a student in the presence of unhonorable adults." I open my eyes just enough to see the outline of him, the unmistakable outline.  
"Aren't you of questionable presence, Snape?" I mumble and pray he can make out the words.  
"Far less than those around us." I nod, not wanting to argue for my brain was beginning to hurt. He comes over and flips the cover of the book over.  
The Genealogy of Magical Families, it read on the front.  
"A bit boring for you isn't it?"' He closes the book and pulling out his wand he levitates the book back to where it belongs.  
"Notif you've nofamily." I slur together. He takes my right arm and slings it around his neck, and he lays a hand upon my waist and lifts my entire body up out of the chair and lets me lay all my weight into him. He takes a step and i fumble over my own feet.  
"I cannot walk for you, Rhayella." He says coolly, and for the first time in my life, I don't correct him. I don't tell him that I don't go by that, that my full name is only reserved for those close to me. That the only people who call me that are my parents.  
I had spent two or three consecutive nights in the library reading and researching, I hadn't eaten or drinken anything, and had no sleep either. My body was more than fatigued, it was ready to blackout.  
As i tried to take a step I fell forward, and expected to hit the cold hard ground, but instead a pair of arms caught me around my waist and i was pressed against a warm firm body, and all I wanted to do was sleep against this person.  
"When was your last break?"  
"Four days ago." A small sigh escapes his lips.  
"Forgive me." He reaches down at the joint of my knees to pick me up bridal style, and i2let out an exhausted sigh with eyes half closed, and slowly and gingerly wrap my arms around his neck and nuzzle my face into the crook of his neck.  
"You kind."  
"To you?" A pause. "Perhaps."  
He spoke to me as he carried me back to the school and eventually to the dorms, where he set me on one of the leather couches and pulled a blanket over me.  
He put the back of his hand against my head, and it was burning hot.  
The next thing I knew, a fire was going, and he was feeding me soup.  
I was shivering terribly, frozen down to my core.  
I hadn't taken care of myself and in turn I had come down with a cold, and it's when it finally hit me. The smell.  
It was of alcohol, fire whiskey to be exact, and Snape was doused in it.  
"You were drinking?" It was supposed to be a statement but it didn't come out that way, but he looked up at me nonetheless, those cool calculating eyes taking in my green one's.  
"It's none of your concern." He slings out in a loe and steady voice.  
"It is if you're my professor." I snap, and his eyes narrow slightly.  
"Pray tell, what, would, you, do?" I roll my eyes and stare him right back down.  
"I'd tell you to leave, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."  
"You've not that, look at your current, predicament." He,sets the,bowl and,spoon down.  
"I don't care what you think i can and can't do, you need to take care,of yourself too, besides,you should be right back out there with your friends and family. Drinking yourself merry, it's what my family does." He looks down.  
"My parents are gone, Rhayella, and the only friend I've got is constant reminder if the love I lost." He stokes the fire, focusing his attention upon the wood in front of him.  
"Who was she?" I plead in the quietest voice manageable.  
"A friend."  
"I remind you of her then?" He doesn't do anything, just keeps his back to me.   
Threw only light is the fire, casting a warm golden glue join the room, and enchanting 6 it with its heavenly smell.  
I realized that this could become romantic very fast if I want careful, and decor all the warning bells going off in my head, I still made means you approach the potions teacher.  
"You shouldn't be moving." Istand and allow myself the pleasure of gaining blood back into my head before moving to sit next to him.  
"Have I ever listened to you?"  
"Your defiance will get you in trouble one day, maybe not from me, but from someone." I lean my head against his shoulder and let out a content sigh.  
"Perhaps." A beat. "Tell me about her."  
"Who?" He croaks out.  
"Your friend I remind you of, I want to know why you grieve so deeply for her." The fire dims and his arm slowly snakes its way around my waist, allowing him to pull me closer into him.  
"She was very much like you, her hair was ginger though, not fiery red and-"  
"Do you like the colour?" He leans his cheek upon my head.  
"You're not going to get another opportunity like this Rhayella, do you want my story or n it?" He hisses into my ear.  
"Im sorry, please,continue."  
"She was quieter than you. But you both have the same charms…" One heavey blink. "Charismatic just like you too..." The next blink my eyes stayed closed longer than they should have.  
"Gorgeous…" This time my eyes shut permanently and i couldn't focus in his words any longer, and i was fighting, resisting the call of sleep.  
"I loved her." My mind perked up and then went back to its inbetween phase. "And ever since I laid my eyes upon you-" I never got to hear what was at the end of that sentence, for it was then that my body and mind decided to fail me, and take it's well earned rest.

I would have liked to have said that I woke up with the sun on my face, but instead I woke up to the sea serpent screaming in my head.  
'*Up,*" it hissed at me. *'Get up!'* I sat straight up in bed and out the window I saw the same snake as before glaring at me through the window.  
"What's wrong?"  
*'Someone is at your door.'* Not realizing that I was dressed in stale clothes that were four days old, I ran to the common room and found Professor Snape standing next to a window, staring out into the water.  
"Professor?" My voice is a barley a squeak, as its sore and parched.  
"It's past noon, Skotàdi. Perhaps you could explain why you did not come down for breakfast…" He trails off, and I can see there's no part of the man of last night left in him.  
"I slept in, Snape." I give as much of a hiss as I can with a sore voice, and he slowly turns around and closes the distance between us so that he is towering over me.  
"That's Professor to you."  
"And miss, to you." His face got closer to mine, and I began to stand on my toes to reach his height, but even if I stood tip toe, I,would still be several inches,shorter.  
He got right up into my face, he was so close i could,feel his hot breath against my face.  
"Do not test me, Rhayella" he whispers my first name, and once again, I do not tell him to not call me that.  
In fact, hearing my name upon his lips, was like music to my ear. It was heavenly, pronounced perfectly.  
I closed the remaining distance and placed my lips upon his.  
At first we were both shocked as to what I was doing, and then instinct kicked in, and my lips had a mind of their own, and suddenly he was kissing me back.  
My hands found his long black hair and i made afist with his locks and cupped the of his neck with the other.   
His hands traveled down my sides, from shoulders and eventually to settle upon my hips, tracing every inch and every curve there was.  
He was my potions teacher, my professor, possibly even a,confidante, and I was kissing him.  
And as wrong as it should have been, it was right. I had,never felt so confident that this was right in my life.   
And then without warning he pulled away, and i let out a groan.  
"This isn't right." He mutters breathlessly against my lips. I nod in understanding, but nit agreement.  
"Perhaps, but it feels right." My voice was still pained but i managed.  
"You need to wait." I break away from him, my eyes pained.  
"What?" I Breathe.  
"Just until you're older." He looks pained too, but,it,only makes me hurt more.  
"Im old enough now!" I protest, but he begins to walk away.  
"No, you're not." He reaches,the door and my heart breaks.  
"Fine, but don't leave." I plead with him, and he stops. "Just, don't leave, I don't want to be alone." I see his body rise and then fall.  
"I have business I must attend to, but you have my word that I will be back. In the meantime, get some food, Rhayella." And he walks through the door, leaving me alone in the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Readers,  
> I hope this story is to your liking, if not then that is unfortunate, but I do nit write these stories for you. I write them for me, it's what i love doing. While I do not expect comments or likes, I do highly encourage that you do, i do like to know that someone is reading.  
> I wanted to experiment with a pure blood wizard who's name had gotten lost and was adopted and named changed, etc... And i really only liked H.P. for Snape. So, I apologize if anything is wrong.  
> I do hope that you'll this, but if not, i completely understand.  
> I'm sorted Slytherin and Horned Serpent.  
> Blessed be. :)


End file.
